1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical connector construction and, more particularly, to construction of miniature connectors for use in the electrical interconnection of printed circuit board components or assemblies.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A wide variety of electrical connectors are commercially available for use in the construction of electrically operated equipment and products. Electrical connectors of a miniature variety are particularly suitable for such applications as telecommunications or data processing equipment wherein it is customary to utilize printed circuit board assemblies having pin terminals for providing for the basic circuitry requirements and electrical connections, respectively, of the equipment. Typically, in such applications, electrical signals are conducted between board assemblies of components by means of electrical cable or wiring which for purposes of manufacturing and maintenance expediency have been terminated with electrical connectors.
Such a connector typically comprises a dielectric housing formed by conventional molding techniques and fitted with one or more conductive terminals for providing electrical connection between the cable or wiring and the circuit board pins or between adjacent pins when the connector is adapted for use as a shunt. Additionally, for manufacturing and handling convenience it may be desirable to mold the housings in a manner such that they are joined together in a continuous row by a discardable, break-away carrier strip formed integrally with the housings. The carrier strip facilitates ease of assembly, inasmuch as a plurality of connectors can be conveniently maintained in uniform controlled orientation and progression during various steps in the manufacturing process. A representative example of continuous molding employing carrier strip technique is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,658. In preparation for shipment, the connectors are either severed from the carrier strip and packaged loosely, or the carrier with the connectors attached is wound into a roll. In either case, the packaging of the connectors involves considerable bulk and subsequent handling of the connectors is attended by considerable inconvenience, particularly in the case of loosely packaged product.